BLACKSBURG (hokiesports.com) - The 19th-ranked Virginia Tech softball team will finally open the home portion of its schedule this weekend, hosting NC State in a three-game series at Tech Softball Park. Tech (18-4) has played its first 22 games away from Blacksburg.

NC State enters with a 11-13-1 record, 0-3 in the ACC but played several nationally ranked teams tough last weekend in the Judi Garman Classic, the same tournament Tech played in. State lost all five games, including a 1-0 decision to No. 14 Michigan in eight innings, 3-0 to No. 1 Oklahoma and 7-4 to No. 10 Texas. State also has a win over No. 12 USF.

The Pack is led offensively by Scout Albertson, who is hitting .356 with four home runs. Leadoff batter Renada Davis already has 12 home runs, but is batting just .265. The Wolfpack hit just .241 as a team but have hit 31 home runs. Emily Weiman has thrown 131.1 of 160.1 innings NCSU has played this year. She is 10-12 with a 2.03 ERA and 114 strikeouts. Chelsea Stanfield is the only other Pack player to pitch and she is 1-1 with a 5.37 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 30.0 innings pitched.

Tech is ranked 19th in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll and 21st in the NFCA/USA Today poll.

This weekend at Tech Softball Park is Breast Cancer Awareness Weekend. The first 200 fans each day will receive a free Virginia Tech Softball Breast Cancer Awareness T-shirt.

Saturday’s doubleheader is scheduled to start at noon and Sunday’s single game will begin at 1 p.m. All three games are free to attend.

Tech is 13-10 all-time against the Wolfpack after taking both games last year in Raleigh (the third game was rained out). The Hokies are just 3-6 at home all-time against NCSU.